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UFC 2009 UNDISPUTED XBOX 360 REVIEW |
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THQ lets it
all out with yet another game from yet another
franchise. Needless to say, this is not an
ordinary franchise they are dealing with. UFC
(Ultimate Fighting Championship) 2009 Undisputed
is a new breed of action, rising from THQ’s
ranks, and is very different from the wrestling,
grappling games we’re accustomed to seeing from
them. UFC 2009 offers a couple of modes, but the
main mode here is the career mode. Players are
allowed to create up to 100 custom fighters, and
can make them climb up the weight division
they’re in. In a manner similar to boxing games,
career mode is about spending time wisely -
balancing training, relaxing, and side deals
against bouts. There are no mini-games to be
found in UFC: all of the training options are
instantaneous. The only interactive option is
sparring, which builds up a fighter’s strengths
instead of the three main attributes: Speed,
Strength, and Cardio.
The career mode is where most of the fun
resides, though there is a lack of guidance on
how the weeks up to a bout should be spent, and
the user interface takes ages to interact with.
The game has a steep learning curve, even for
those experienced in fighting games. UFC 2009 is
somewhat of a cross between a boxing sim and
Tekken's button tappings, punctuated by a unique
ground fighting system. Every fighter in the
game falls into two ‘general’ movesets :
striking and grappling. The striking movesets
range from boxing (a very strong-armed style of
fighting); kickboxing, (a technique which excels
in kicks more so than fists); and Muay Thai (a
style with a devastating clinch). Grappling
movesets vary from wrestling, which relies on
ground-and-pound tactics with strong takedowns;
Brazilian Jiu Jitsu, whose strength lies in
submissions; and Judo, whose practitioners excel
in throwing opponents down to the mat. All of
the striking movesets are very different from
each other, while the grappling movesets all
have the same basic techniques.
Gameplay in UFC 2009 Undisputed is very
systematic, even though the game itself is
touted as a simulator. The striking game is
somewhat slow and sluggish, and quite imbalance.
For example, you'll regularly encounter fighters
on the verge of a knockdown turn the tides
around with one lucky shot, resulting in an
unfavorable decision against you. These sudden
reversal of fortunes can be extremely unfair in
the career mode as they don't depend on
reasonable tactics but rather give the computer
a cheap way to gain a handicap. Running around
the ring is very difficult, and most of the
time, fighters are stuck waddling around. The
controls are daunting, as all of the buttons on
the controller come into play in UFC 2009: the
face buttons control which leg or arm punches
and kicks, and the shoulder triggers modify the
fighter’s stance and strike behavior. The right
stick is used for countering, clinching, and
tackling. |
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PRODUCT
OVERALL RATING: 7.5 OUT OF 10 |
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On the
ground level, UFC 2009 Undisputed is a totally different
art form. Many of
the traditional guards found in the real UFC TV
programming are present here. Switching between
positions requires a lot of accuracy with the
right thumbstick, as swinging it defines the
type of transitions. Unfortunately, the ground
controls are hard to pull-off. Sometimes, you
have to break a nail to get a ground-and-pound
maneuver. You'll have more luck breaking out of
guard than trying to submit your opponent with
headlocks or ankle submissions. Giving the lack
of responsiveness switching between guard
positions, your best bet is to have as much
octagon control as possible. It doesn't
guarantee your opponent tapping out, but it is
likely to wear your opponent down, setting him
up for a finisher of your choice.
The graphics in the UFC 2009 are very well done,
and the fighters being depicted in the arena have
very smooth textures, thanks to THQ's high poly
counts. However, the rings look all too
identical in each venue, and the animations get very
repetitive and tiring. There are only so many
referees and card girls as well, and the teams
in the corners are the same every time.
Fortunately, the
blood effects and sprays are very cool, and the
cuts on fighters’ faces look very believable. In
the audio department, UFC 2009 is spectacular!
The announcers are lively, captivating, and
surprisingly realistic, too! They react
accordingly to the fighters out in the ring,
even chatting about their career and training!
Kicks and punches sound explosive and grant the
proper reaction from the announcers.
Unfortunately, that’s almost the entire audio
experience in the game right there: the crowd,
the hit sounds, and the announcers - the
fighters are particularly mute. The soundtrack
is a variety of hip-hop and hard rock, sharing
tracks with that of THQ’s past WWE games. It
fits the UFC theme very well, and gets the blood
boiling and the adrenaline rushing.
UFC 2009 Undisputed is a good fighting game, but
it’s not very realistic for an MMA simulator as it’s
very systematic - what is very fast-paced in
real life is very slow in the game. Needless to
say, the standup portion has a good, solid pace;
it keeps your mind sharp and adrenaline pumping.
However, we can't say the same for the ground
level. Except for locking in a submission, the
controls are a bit sluggish and lack
responsiveness. Still, the
experience is fun, and it can be a bit educational
(but don’t expect real-life martial arts to be
as robotic as this!). Fans of THQ’s WWE series
will find plenty of love here, along with UFC and
other mixed martial arts enthusiasts. Those who
are seriously considering Undisputed might want
to try it first before making that big purchase
- the
game is so deep and complex it might not suit
your taste! Also, you will have to go pass a
huge learning curve before the real fun begins.
Overall, this is not bad for THQ's first attempt
to sell a UFC-based product but unfortunately,
the game leaves us hanging. |
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